Humpday Happenings...
Welcome to the mid-week crisis we call WEDNESDAY.

With that Monday holiday, it SEEMS like a shorter week in some respects.
Our Hoosierland weather will be a bit of a "fake-out", because we're STARTING off the day with a nice sunrise, mild breezes, and comfortable temps.
Later on, the high will reach near 82 and clouds roll back in with the chance of some showers later into the evening.
Might even get a thunderstorm, so be advised.

In any event, let's not let the later affect the sooner...go grab your beverage of the day and let's get this show rolling...
*** First out of the rucksack is our WHO SAID THAT? quote of the week:
"To me, it seems certain that the fatalistic teachings of Muhammed and the utter degradation of women is the outstanding cause for the arrested development of the Arab. He is exactly as he was around the year 700, while we have kept on developing."
So, WHO said that anyway? Recent events have shown us in the Middle East that having 21st century technology in the hands of 6th century people is not a good idea, right?
The answer at the top of tomorrow's post.
Meanwhile, back at West Point...
*** And, it's also time for our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
May 27 -
---Today is SUN SCREEN DAY.

Think they would have saved this for JULY.
You might need it early on...but it doesn't do JACK when it's raining...does it?
*** Next up, a correction from yesterday...
I erroneously said that the latest homicide in Fort Wayne was number 11.
Oopsie...I meant to say it was NUMBER TEN.
Guess the coroner didn't call the woman found in that trash bin to be a "homicide" proper?
Here's the update to the story with the victim's ID:
http://wane.com/2015/05/25/police-on-the-scene-of-oliver-st-shooting/
Sorry about that...we do try to maintain the level of truth you've come to expect, and I'm never that proud to not admit it when I screw the hell up.
(note to politicians)
((Editor's update - 11 June 1700 hrs - I was RIGHT after all. According to WANE, we just ahd homicide number TWELVE, so my initial call of ELEVEN homicides HERE as correct. That never gets old.))
Moving on...
*** Yesterday our ONE good neighbor (Joan) calls and asks for the neighborhood association address...not a problem.
So I ask her out of curiosity "DO you still have that TV you want to get rid of?"
And she says "Yes, if you still want it."

The "price is right", Bob!

HELL YEAH...!
Well, I walk over to her house, and she tells me she has put the house on the market, as she's going out to California.
(getting back with her ex who is also retired...I can understand.
Not good to be alone when you're older)
Anyway, I see the TV...nice set. It's a 27 inch Magnavox stereo CRT (with remote). Heavy as all hell, too.
But, with some ingenuity, I got it down the steps from her upstairs, and we loaded it into her Pontiac Vibe (love anyone who still owns a Pontiac...wonder why?), and we get it around the block to our garage, where we set it on the floor.
She also gave me a (almost new) camera tripod...must cost about $40.
Which brought up something I was taught from little on up - always offer to PAY someone when they do YOU a kindness.
I said to her "Is $100 enough for the TV?" She wouldn't take a DIME...seriously.
Now THAT is the type of Hoosier I've come to know. She did say she was happy to get rid of it.
And the set works PERFECTLY, too (for a 1994 model). Hardly used at all, really. Excellent condition, and well worth a hundred bucks.

But free is better still. And that's ONE television we don't have to replace right now.
That means ONE set for the living room still to go (and if I can get the current TV fixed, we save more money.
Wifey was excited to see the set when she came home.
I did manage to bungee it to a small cart Joan lent me, and got the (new) TV into the house.
I took that old dinosaur off the turntable we have in the family room, placed the 27" set on it (with Wifey's help), hooked it up, powered it up and PRESTO...Little House on the Prairie reruns...and really BIG, too...lol.
Like a bloody movie house now, and the cable remote works on the set perfectly.
I tweaked the color and contrast a bit and it's as good as our old set...only LARGER.

Times like this, you really have to give thanks to GOD for allowing fate to play a good hand in one's life.
And, I'm also of the "good stewardship" mindset, so that means we WILL take good care of that TV.
*** Next up, I was watching The Kelly File last night, and she was talking with Mark Fuhrman over the recent number of record shootings and homicides in B'more.

It's like I was hearing myself.

Well, I mentioned such things in yesterday's post, so it peeked my interest.
Fuhrman said the EXACT things I said about policing - there are TWO distinct types:
1) PROACTIVE
2) REACTIVE
--Proactive policing means getting out IN the community, and patrolling to stop the crimes before they can occur, such as chasing drug dealers off of corners, and following the Broken Window Theory manner of not allowing the small things to become the big things.
--Reactive policing is when you're basically answering radio calls (I call it "chasing the radio" instead), and doing what is expected, rather than taking the initiatives, letting your TRAINING kick in, and "going with your gut" in specific situations.

Fort Wayne LIKES to "think" they have a PROACTIVE police department.
(thinking in this case can be hazardous to certain command staff personnel)
Let's just say they're chasing the radio, and let it go at that.
I see LESS proactive policing NOW than when I did when we first moved here...and it shows, especially in the manner the "locals" conduct themselves.
It makes the (few) law-abiding people (like Wifey and I) a lot more "on-edge" than we used to feel back in the late '90s
Like I say - it's not community-oriented policing when you never HAVE a community to begin with.
*** Last back to the precinct house...our garden is coming along well. We're starting to see a lot more color, and that's NOT just from all the stuff Wifey and I have bought and stuck in the damn ground...LOL.

Peonies...anyone?

The clematis are blooming their asses off (they have asses?), and the peonies have started THEIR blooming cycle (gonna smell fantastic, too).
Even some seeds Wifey planted are sprouting up.

Our sage is blooming, too

It's nice to see the fruits of one's labors...and nice to see Mother Nature's hand at work.

The yucca is sprouting shoots up.

Now, I won't say we're God's gift to this neighborhood (we just live here to keep the average IQ around here from dropping into double digits...lol), but if more people did similar things as we have done, and learn to APPRECIATE what they have, rather than covet and seek after things they have no business running after, this part of the city wouldn't be that bad at all.
Hell, the ONLY reason people even MOW their lawns is so Neighborhood Code Enforcement won't CITE them.

NEVER see this at OUR house...EVER!

And in some neighborhoods around here, even THAT doesn't faze the morons one damn bit.
There are people that just do not give a rat's ass and won;t life a finger to do a damn thing...except to get drugs, booze, fast food, the welfare check...the "typical" things do nothing to enhance one's life.

But, that's okay with these losers...that's what they WANT.
What have we become as a nation, and why have we permitted such things to manifest themselves and take root in our cities?
When what passes for "poor" in America would make a person in many other countries RICH by compassion...and they don't even have to work for it, or earn it in anyway...what's that say about us?

It's doesn't say we're overflowing with compassion, that's for sure.
It DOES say that some people embrace class-warfare, and here I thought we were all EQUAL and had the same OPPORTUNITIES as one another.
This is what you get when you lower the standards and expectations of others.
Sorry, I think they can deal me out on this hand.
No compromise...no retreat...no surrender. I prefer THAT much better.

Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay SAFE out there, America.